Skip The Heart Surgery At HCA, But Think Twice Before Selling On Headlines

by YCharts StaffAugust 08, 2012

Some of the cardiologists at HCA (HCA), the nation’s biggest for-profit hospital chain, have apparently done procedures they can’t justify. The company disclosed on Monday that the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Miami has requested information, and the New York Times ran an expose. Investors were shaken by the news.

If you’re a patient, this is bad stuff. You don’t want your doctor mucking around with invasive and unnecessary procedures just to drive up costs. But if you’re an investor, HCA’s net income rose 51% last quarter. The stock jumped after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a key provision in ‘Obamacare,’ and the assumption is HCA will get a boost from health reform.

So it’s no surprise that when sellers dumped the stock, buyers swooped in: